Rubin Kazan retains title as Spartak lose to CSKA

Rubin Kazan won their second successive Russian Premier League title on Saturday as they drew 0:0 at home with Zenit St. Petersburg, while second-placed Spartak Moscow lost 3:2 to cross-town rivals CSKA Moscow.

Rubin Kazan won their second successive Russian Premier League title on Saturday as they drew 0:0 at home with Zenit St. Petersburg, while second-placed Spartak Moscow lost 3:2 to cross-town rivals CSKA Moscow.

Four points ahead of Spartak at the start of the day, Rubin knew that a win would seal the title.

Spartak had to beat or draw with CSKA and hope that the result went their way in Kazan.

In a nail-biting match in Moscow, in front of a record crowd for the Russian Premier League, Spartak were beaten by a late CSKA goal following a catastrophic goal-keeping error.

This is the first time a team from outside Moscow has won the title in successive seasons.

MOSCOW, November 21 (RIA Novosti)